Alimentation Couche-Tard wins U.S. OK to buy CST, with conditions

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc (ATDb.TO) has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy rival CST Brands Inc CST.N on condition that it sell up to 71 stores in eight states, the Federal Trade Commission said on Monday.

Alimentation Couche-Tard, a big Canada-based chain of convenience stores and gas stations, said in August that it would buy the smaller CST, which has the Corner Store markets, for some $4.4 billion.

Couche-Tard shares rose 2.8 percent on the approval to C$63.09 in early afternoon trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. CST edged up 0.4 percent to $48.54 on the New York Stock Exchange.

As of late January, Couche-Tard had 8,081 convenience stores in North America, including 6,710 which sold fuel, the company said in a news release.